Lamp holders



March 16, 1948. A. H. LAIDIG 2,438,012

' LQMP HOLDERS Filed July 20, 1945 W 492 WITNESSES: INVENTOR AfTORNEY Patented Mar. 16, 1948 lED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAMP HOLDERS Alfred H. Laidig, Bloomfield, 3., assignorto Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pin, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 20, 1945, Serial No. 606,149

Claims. (01 it's-s2) My invention relates, generally, to electric discharge tube or lamp circuits and apparatus and, more particularly, to lamp holders and lampholder arrangements for use with tubular discharge lamps of which the well known fluorescent lamp is one example.

In the application of fluorescent lamps, for example, it is desirable to use lamp holders and lamp-holder arrangements of such nature that there is no danger from shock during insertion and removal of the lamp, the ends of the lamp are securely locked into the holders, the holders be readily adaptable for use with lamps of difie'rent sizes or diameters, the holders support the lamps with a minimum of masking off of the light produced, provide for opening the supply circuit to the lamp or the lamp circuit itself, or both, and be not affected by vibration and shock.

The object of my invention,-generally stated, is to provide lamp holders and lamp-holder arrangements of simple and durable construction for readily and economically effecting the foregoing results.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a lamp holder of the character described which shall function to securely lock the end of the lamp into the holder and control the lamp circuit.

Another object of my invention is to provide a lamp holder wherein the movement of a rotatable locking element is utilized to actuate a control switch for controlling the lamp circuit,

A further object of my invention is to provide a lamp holder wherein the movement of a mov ably mounted contact element eifects the operation of a switch within the holder to control the lamp circuit.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a lamp holder of the character described embodying a control switch which functions to open the energizing or primary circuit of the lamp in response to the operation of the holder to release or unlock the end of the lamp therefrom.

A further object of my invention is to provide a lamp holder having a spring-biased contact element operable when moved by the insertion of the end of the lamp into the holder to close the circuit to the lamp terminal.

Another object of my invention is to provide a lamp holder wherein the end of the lamp is inserted into and removed from the holder by sidewise movements through a slot in a socket portion of the holder and elected from the socket portion by a lever mechanism mounted thereon.

Another object of my invention is to provide for supporting and conducting current to a tubular discharge lamp by means of a pair of lamp holders, at least one of which functions to lock the associated end of the lamp into the holder and open and close an energizing circuit to the lamp in accordance with unlocking and locking operations, respectively, of the holder.

Another object of my invention is to provide for supporting and conducting current to a tubular discharge lamp by means of a pair of spaced lamp holders, at least one of which has a movable contact element which actuates switch means within the holder to open and close the circuit to the lamp terminal in response to the removal from and insertion of the lamp into the holders.

These and other objects of my invention will .become more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View, partly in section, showing a preferred embodiment of my lamp=holder arrangement for use with a tubular discharge lamp or tube;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines IIII of the left-hand lamp holder of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view taken along lines 1';v

Fig. 4 is a partial end elevational view of the left-hand l'amp holder of Fig. 1 in its unlocked position;

Fig. 5 is a view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of the left-hand lamp holder showing the control switch in its closed position as distinguished from the open position as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a. View similar to that of Fig. 4 showing the holder in. its locked or lamp locking position;

Fig. 7 isa perspective view of the upper portion of the left-hand holder of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a View similar to that of Fig. '7 of a modification of the holder with a lamp kickout or ejecting lever attached thereto; and

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of a typical lamp circuit Showing how the switches in the holders are utilized to control the primary and secondary circuits of the lamp.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, there is shown a lamp hold'er arrangement for supporting and conducting current to a fluorescent lamp l0 ofthe'. cold cathode type having contact elements in the form of metal disks H and I2 attached to the ends of the tubular envelope l3. It is to be understood, however, that the holders shown may also he used with lamps having contact elements of a difierent type, as, for example, contact pinsextending from an insulating base or cap attached to the ends of the envelope.

The holders l4 and I5 are disposed in spaced relation to receive the lamp therebetween in the usual manner and are so constructed as to permit the lamp to be readily inserted and removed.

The lamp holder M at the left-hand end of the lamp is of the locking type which functions to securely lock the end of the lamp into the hold er. The embodiment shown comprises a hollow or shell-type housing member |6 of insulating material having a base or mounting portion I1 and an upright body portion l8. The housing member is open at the back and provided with a cover plate I9.

The front face 2| of the body portion is PTO-.- vided with an opening 22 adjacent its upper end to receive the neck or mounting portion 23 of a socket member 24. This opening 22 may be circular in shape and provided with longitudinal grooves or flutes 29. The neck portion 23 of the socket member also may be provided with complementary longitudinal grooves or flutes so that the socket member cannot rotate within the opening 22. This socket member is of a cup-like face of the cup-shaped member 3| by means of a pair of screws 31 and 38 which engage the contact element 35 and a pair of contact terminals 39 and 40 mounted in the base or neck portion 23 of the socket member 24.

As shown best in Fig. 1, the head portions 4| and 42 of these contact terminals are disposed in an exposed position on the bottom of the socket formation and is mounted on the front of the body portion to receive the end of the lamp.

The socket member 24 may be secured to the body portion 2| in any suitable manner, such as by means of a nut 25 engaging the threaded end portion 23a of neck portion 23. This permits socket member 24 to be readily detached and turned to any desired position, as will be referred to hereinafter. Any other suitable means may be used to secure the socket member 24.

As shown best in Fig, 7, the socket portion 24 is provided with an open-sided slot 26 at its outer or exposed end. This slot is for the purpose of receiving the end of the lamp when inserted into the holder by a sidewise or transverse movement with respect to the holder. The socket member 24 is also provided with a pair of guide slots 2! and 28 for a purpose which will be described more in detail hereinafter.

In order to provide for locking the'end of the lamp into the holder, a cup-shaped member 3| is rotatably mounted within the socket member 24 and is also provided with an open-sided slot 32 at its outer or exposed end of generally the same shape as the slot 26 so that these slots may be moved into and out of registering position to open and close the slot 26 in the socket member 24.

The cup-shaped member 3| may be actuated in any suitable manner, such as by means of the lever 33 disposed to move within the slot 21., This slot may be of such length and so positioned with respect to the slot 26 that the rotational movement of the cup-shaped member 3| is properly defined. If desired, the cup-shaped member 3| may be provided with a guide pin 34 which travels in the slot 28.

The cup-shaped member 3| is provided with a ring-shaped contact element 35, as shown best in Fig. 1, disposed to engage the lamp terminal regardless of its form,

In view of the foregoing, it will be apparent that the cup-shaped member 3| has a limited rotational movement with respect to the socket member 24, and that this movement may be utilized in actuating switch means within the holder for controlling the lamp circuit. In this instance, the switch means 39 is comprised of a movable contact element or bar 36 attached to the back member 24 in cooperative relation with the contact bar 36. It will be understood that when the cup-shaped member 3| is rotated into and out of its locking position, the exposed head portions 4| and 42 of contact terminals 39 and 40 are bridged or unbridged, as the case may be, to close and open the circuit.

Fig. 3 shows the switch means 39 in its open position such as results when the cup-shaped member 3| is in its unlocked position to receive the end of the lamp, as shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 5 shows the switch means 39 in its closed position such as when the cup-shaped member 3| is in its looking position, as shown in Fig. 6.

Referring now to the right-hand lamp holder of Fig. 1, it will be apparent that this holder likewise comprises a hollow or shell-type housing member 45 having a base portion 46 and an upright body portion 41 which is open at the back and provided with a cover plate 48.

The front wall or face of the body portion 41 is provided with an opening 49 and a front recess 5|. A socket portion 52 is attached to the front face of the body portion, as shown, and is provided with an opening 53 to receive the end of the lamp. This socket portion may be attached to the body portion in any suitable manner, such as by means of the threaded connection indicated at 54.

In this instance, the holder is provided with a movable contact element 55 which comprises a stem portion 55a disposed in the opening 49 carrying a V-shaped contact member 56 which is disposed to engage the lamp terminal.

Since it is the purpose of this holder to urge the lamp endwise into the opposed holder It, the contact element 55 is normally biased to an outter position by means of the coil spring 51 seated in the recess 5| and engaging the contact member 56, as shown. It will be apparent when the end of the lamp is inserted into the holder, the contact element 55 may be moved against the force exerted by the spring 51.

If desired, the holder I5 may be provided with switch means 58 in the formof a pair of contact springs 59 and 6| suitably anchored within the base portion of the housing member and extending upwardly within the housing member with their upper ends normally in spaced relation. The upper ends of these contact springs are so positioned as to be actuated into engagement by the-stem portion 55a of the contact element 55 when it is moved sidewise in response to the insertion of the lamp. The switch means 58 may be utilized to connect the lamp terminal |2 to the energizing circuit as well as to provide for automatically opening this circuit when the lamp is removed from the holder.

The lamp holders I5 and I6, as shown in Fig. 1, may be connected into the lamp circuit, as shown schematically in Fig. 9. The switch means 58 of the holder I5 is shown connected to one end of the secondary winding 65 of the autotransformer 66. The primary winding 6'! has one terminal connected through conductor 68 and switch 19 to one side of the source and its other terminal connected through conductor 69 to the other side of the source. This terminal of the primary .winding'fiz'l is alsoaconnected to the switch means 30 of holder 45 through conductor 69a. Accordingly, it will he apparent that, when the holder it is unlocked to release the lamp, this side of the lamp circuit will be interrupted by the switch means :30, and that when the lamp is removed from the :holders, the switch means 58 will function to open the other-side of the lamp circuit.

While the lamp holders shown are each provided with a control switch or switch means, it is to be understood that the switch means :58 cf the holder I5 is not a necessary element as the switch meansof holder l6 functions to effectively interrupt and vdeenergize the lamp circuit when this holder is in its unlocked position.

Referring now to Fig. 8 which shows a modification 16a of the locking holder 1.6, it will be observed that the structure of the holder is generally the same except that itis provided with a kickout lever, indicated generally at It. This lever is for the purpose of liftingthe end of the lamp H) from the socket portion .of the holder when in its unlocked position. It is particularly useful'where the holder is mounted in such .position that there is very little, .if any, room at the sides thereof to permit the removal of the lamp.

By means of this device,which isoperable from above the lamp, it is ossible to lift the lamp out of the holder without reaching down into a constricted space.

In this instance, .the device 1 I is comprised of a pair of 'VP-shapedside members l2 and 13 pivotally mounted upon the socket portion 26a of the holder and connected together by means of cross members 14 and 15. The cross member i5 is positioned beneath the lamp in such manner that when the device isrotated upon its pivots, the end of the lamp is lifted upwardly out of the holder.

In view of the fact that the socket portion 24 of the holder i6 is rotatab'ly mounted'within the body portion l8, it may be turned so that the slot 26 therein is placed inany desired position. As illustrated, the slot is in its upper position so that the lamp is inserted from above the holder. If desired, the slot 26 may be positioned at some desired spacing from thatshown in order that the lamp may be inserted from the side or from the bottom, as desired. When this is done, the operation of the-switch means in the holder is not interfered with in any way as thecontact terminals 39 and 40 as Wellas the contact bar 36 are always maintalnedin proper relationship in view of the manner inwhich thesocket portion 24 and cup-shaped member 3| are related.

In view of the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will now be apparent that the holder arrangement-shown has many advantages over devices now in use. It eliminates danger fromshock during insertion and removal of the lamp. The position of the slots to receive the ends of the lamp may be readily shifted by rotating the socket'portion of the holder. The socket portions are for the most part standard for all lamp'sizes with the exception of the cup-shaped member 3! of the holder it which may be readily exchanged to-accommo date lamps of different sizes or ranges of size. The lamp holders are of such construction that the lamp is so supported that very little of the radiated light is lost by "being masked ed by the holders. The lamp electrodes or terminals 6 operate at a lower temperature for'the reason that th ends of the lamps are not'buried in long sockets. The locking socket 16 is so constructed that vibration and shock .cannot afiect the .opening of the lamp socket. The lamp-holder arrangement as a whole utilizing one holder with a yieldable contact element functioning .to urge theopposite end of the lamp into the otherholder which is of the locking type, provides anLarrangement which is safe and :which provides for .adequately supportingand conducting current to the lamp under the most adverse operating conditions.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the principles thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a discharge tube lighting system, the combination with a gaseous discharge tube having a contact element at each end thereoflof a pair of lamp holders for supporting and conducting current to the tube, one of said lamp holders having a receptacle portion disposed to receive one end of the tube and operable to mechanically lock the end of the tube in said holder andembodying a switch actuatedby said receptacle portion for controlling the energizing circuit for the tube, and the other of said lamp holders embodying a switch actuated to itsclesed position when the other end of the tube is inserted into the holder for controlling the tube circuit.

2. In a discharge tube lighting system, the combination Wit-h a gaseous discharge tube having at least one contact element at each end thereof, of a pair of lamp holders for supporting and conducting current to the tube, one ofsaid holders embodying a spring-biased movable contact member and a normally-open switch actuated thereby when one end of the tube is engaged in the holder, and the other of said holders having a rotatable locking member receiving the other end of the tube and operable to mechanically lock the tube in the end of the holder and embodying a switch actuated to closed and opened positions in response to the operation of the rotatable lockin member to locking and unlocking positions, respectively, for controlling the energizing circuit for the tube.

3. A lamp holder for a tubular discharge lamp comprising, a housing member of hollow construction having an opening in one 'face thereof, a separate socket member detachably mounted in said opening, said socket member having a cir cumierentially extending slot therein "adjacent its outer end of such width as toreceive the end of the lamp, a pair of stationary contact members mounted on the bottom of the socket'memher, a cup-shaped member having a contact element therein mounted in the socket member to receive the end of the lamp, said cup-shaped member having a slot therein corresponding-gem erally in shape and size to the slot in the socket member and being rotatable within the socket member to open and close the slot therein, and a contact member mounted on the bottom of the cup-shaped member and electrically connected with the contact member therein operable to bridge said stationary contact members when the cup-shaped member is'rotated to close the slot in the socket member.

4. A lamp holder for use with tubular discharge lamps and tubes comprising, a 'hollow housing member having a side opening, 12 socket portion attached to the side ofthe housingmemher over the side opening and having an opening in the face thereof opposite said side opening to receive the end of the lamp, a contact member movably mounted in the socket portion and having a stem portion extending into the housing member through the side opening, said contact member being disposedto be engaged by the end of the lamp, a spring mounted on the stem portion for biasing the contact member outwardly toward the opening in the face thereof, and switch means comprising a pair of normally disengaged contact members mounted in the housing member opposite said side opening disposed to be actuated into engagement by the endwise movement of the stem portion of the contact member when the end of the lamp is inserted into the socket portion into engagement with the contact member.

5. A lamp holder for use with tubular discharge lamps comprising, a hollow housing memher having a socket portion at one side thereof, said socket portion having an open-sided slot at the end thereof of such length as to receive the end of a lamp, a cup-shaped member rotatably mounted in the socket portion and having an open-sided slot at the end thereof which may be moved into registering position with said other slot to receive the end of the lamp and out of registering position to lock the lamp in the holder, contact means mounted in the cup-shaped member to engage the lamp terminal, spaced stationary contact members mounted in the bottom of the socket portion having terminal portions exposed within the housing member for connection to the supply circuit for the lamp and having contact making portions exposed on the inside face of the socket portion, and a contact member carried by the cup-shaped member and electrically connected with the contact means therein operable to bridge said contact making portion of the stationary contact means in the socket portion and connect the contact means in the cup-shaped member thereto when the cupshaped member is in locking position.

6. A lamp holder for use with tubular discharge lamps comprising, a hollow housing member having a socket portion on one side thereof with stationary spaced contact members therein, said socket portion having a circumferential slot therein intermediate its ends, a cup-shaped member mounted within said socket portion to receive the end of the lamp and having a contact element disposed therein to be engaged by the lamp terminal, said socket portion and cup shaped member having open-sided slots therein adjacent their outer ends to receive the end of the lamp when in registering position and to lock the lamp into the holder when in non-registering position, a contact element mounted on the back of the cup-shaped member and electrically connected with the contact element therein operable to bridge the said stationary spaced contact members in the socket portion when the cupshaped member is actuated to bring said slots into non-registered locking position, and an ac tuating member attached to the cup-shaped member and extending outwardly therefrom through the circumferential slot in the socket portion.

'7. A lamp holder for use with tubular discharge lamps comprising, a hollow housing member having an opening in the front face thereof, a first cup-shaped socket member mounted on the front face of the housing member, said socket member having a base portion extending through'said opening in the front face of the housing member,- a pair of spaced contact members mounted in said base portion with their terminal portions disposed within the housing member for connection to electrical conductors and their opposite contact making portions terminating on the inside face of the base portion within the socket member, a second cup-shaped socket member rotatably mounted within the first socket member, said second socket member being of such size as to receive the base and end portion of the lamp and having therein a contact element disposed to be engaged by the contact element of the lamp, and a bridging contact member mounted on the face portion of the base of th second socket member electrically connected with the said contact element within said second socket member operable in response to a predetermined amount of rotation of said second socket member to bridge the contact making portions of the spaced contact members in the base of said first socket member.

8. A lamp holder for use with tubular discharge lamps comprising, a housing member of hollow construction having socket portion at one side thereof, said socket portion having an open-sided circumferential slot at its outer end of such size as to receive the base and adjacent end portion of the lamp, a pair of spaced stationary contact members extending through the bottom of said socket portion with their terminal portions disposed within the housing and their contact making portions exposed on the inside of the socket portion, a cup-shaped member mounted in the socket portion for limited rotational movement and having an open-sided circumferential slot adjacent its outer end of such size as to receive the base and adjacent end portion of the lamp whereby when the cup-shaped member is rotated in one direction the slots are in registering relation to receive the end of the lamp and when rotated in the opposite direction the slot in the socket portion is closed to lock the lamp in the holder, a contact element mounted Within the cup-shaped member to be engaged by the lamp terminal, and a switch member mounted on the bottom of the cup-shaped member and electrically connected with said contact element within the cup-shaped member disposed to engage and disengage the contact making portions of said spaced stationary contact members when the cup-shaped member is actuated into and out of locking relation with the socket portion.

9. A lamp holder for use with a tubular discharge tube or lamp having a contact element at each end thereof comprising, a hollow housing member having a relatively small side opening in the front face thereof, a cup-shaped member attached to the face of the housing member over said side opening and having an opening in its bottom portion to receive the end of the lamp, a movable contact member mounted in the cupshaped member and including a stem portion extending into the housing member through its side opening,v a. spring biasing said contact memher away from the face of the 'housing toward the opening in the bottom portion of the cupshaped member so as to be engaged and moved back away from said opening when the end of a lamp is inserted into the cup-shaped member, and a pair of normally disengaged contact springs mounted in the housing member in front of the side opening to be actuated into engagement by the endwise movement of the stem portion ofthe contact member; r

10. A lamp holder for use with tubular discharge lamps r tubes comprising, a hollow housing member having a side opening in the front face thereof, a socket portion attached to the front face of the housing member over said side opening and having an opening in the outer end thereof to receive an end of the lamp, a contact member movably mounted in said socket portion in front of the end opening to be directly engaged by the lamp terminal and moved away from said end opening upon insertion of the end of the lamp into th socket portion, said contact member having a stem portion extending into the housing member through its side opening, and normally open switch means mounted in the housing member disposed to be actuated to closed position by the movement of the stem portion of the contact member when moved by the end of the lamp.

ALFRED H. LAIDIG.

. 10 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

